Personal computer systems in general and IBM personal computers, in particular, have attained widespread use for providing computer power to many segments of today's modern society. Personal computer systems can usually be defined as a desktop, floor standing, or portable microcomputer that consists of a system unit having a single system processor, a display monitor, a keyboard, one or more diskette drives, a fixed disk storage, and an optional printer. Once of the distinguishing characteristics of these systems is the use of a motherboard or system planar to electrically connect these components together. These systems are designed primarily to give independent computing power to a single user and are inexpensively priced for purchase by individuals or small businesses.
Examples of such personal computer systems are IBM's PERSONAL COMPUTER AT, IBM's PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 Models 25, 30, 35, 40 SX, 55 SX, 57 SX, 70, 80, 90 and 95, and IBM PERSONAL SYSTEM/1 computers. These systems can be classified into two general families. The first family, usually referred to as Family I Models, use a bus architecture exemplified by the IBM PERSONAL COMPUTER AT and other "IBM compatible" machines. The second family, referred to as Family II Models, use IBM's MICRO CHANNEL bus architecture exemplified by IBM's PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 Models 55 SX through 95. Beginning with the earliest personal computer system of the Family I models, such as the IBM Personal Computer, it was recognized that the operating system would be of utmost importance. Realizing that market acceptance was a primary goal, IBM chose a rather simple text oriented operating system which was suited for the level of hardware technology of the time. The operating system chosen was named DOS which is the acronym for disk operating system. The limited objectives for DOS at the time were non-cryptic commands, English language error messages (instead of error codes), small memory size (12 Kbyte) and reasonable performance. DOS served well for the Family I machines and even into the basic Family II models, but as memory and hardware prices declined and performance increased a more user friendly intuitive operating system was needed. Beginning in 1986, IBM started development of a graphical user interface (GUI) designed to mask the complexity of the hardware technology advances and present to the user an intuitive, flexible, and easy-to-use system. This operating system was named OS/2 and was developed for the more advanced technology of the Family II models.
Additionally, other manufacturers have investigated and used other types of GUI systems. One of the earliest in the personal computing area was Xerox's STAR system that presented the user with icons representing a particular operation or software application. Later, APPLE's Macintosh system added features such as windows and drag and drop to further the intuitive nature of the graphical user interface for APPLE's line of computers. Presently, MICROSOFT's WINDOWS provides a graphical user interface on IBM compatible machines.
With GUI systems, the computer system is controlled using a pointing device such as a mouse. The pointing device controls the location of a pointer that appears on the screen of the computer's display device. Elements on the screen such a icons., which are graphical representations of various objects such as disk drives, applications, or documents, and windows, which are rectangular areas on the screen in which applications or documents can be viewed, may be manipulated using the mouse. In this way, the graphical user interface provides a more intuitive facility for interacting with the computer operating system than the conventional command-line interface. The icons and windows of the GUI serve as references or pointers to the data or system resources and enable the user to interface with the computer in a simpler, logical manner which mimics the real world.
As GUI systems developed, producing the underlying element such as windows and icons has become well known. In fact, publicly available tools such as icon and window editors are now available to actually create the visual display. For example, Conklin, OS/2 Notebook, (Microsoft Press, 1990) pp. 159-255 discusses OS/2 software tools.
As new models of the personal computer family were introduced, OS/2 had to be updated and enhanced. One of the major features of the OS/2 Version 2.0 operating system in which the present invention is incorporated is a workplace shell featuring a desktop metaphor. Briefly, the desktop metaphor presents the user with the look of a desktop. For example, files can appear as icons grouped together into folders. Folders can be placed into a predefined space such as a window. Application programs appear as unique icons that can be activated when a pointer positioned by the movement of a mouse over the icon, is energized usually by double clicking one of the mouse buttons.
The OS/2 operating system, as well as other GUI systems, allow for surrogates of object icons to be made and located throughout different areas of the graphical user interface, such as folders or, in the case of OS/2, the desktop metaphor. In this way, if the user wishes to manipulate the resource or data represented by the object icon or to send data to the object icon, such as in the case of a printer or disk drive, the user need only access the surrogate icon to perform the desired function, without having to locate the original icon. This is most beneficial, particularly in an environment where several windows, and/or files may be opened simultaneously in different locations on the graphical user interface. The surrogate icons serve as pointers or links to the original object icon where the data or system resources are actually stored.
In graphical user interfaces, the surrogate and the original icon can have the same visual appearance, causing confusion with the user as to where the data and/or system resource is actually located. Accordingly, a need exists for a way to visually distinguish between surrogate icons and the original object icon in the graphical user interface of a computer system.
In addition, it is often desirable to access and manipulate the original object and the properties thereof, from the surrogate icon, without having to actually locate and access the original object icon. Accordingly, a need further exists for the means by which the original icon and the object properties thereof can be accessed and manipulated through a surrogate icon on the graphical user interface of a computer system.
A graphical user interface is proposed herein in which object icons and surrogate icons representing the same object are visually distinguishable and which further provides the user with the capability of manipulating and accessing the properties of the original object from a surrogate icon of the original.